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Friday, July 18, 2008
The Emmy Nominations
Emmy nominations came out today. The first conclusion that I can reach, based on them, is that I probably watch too much television - of the eleven shows nominated for either Best Drama or Best Comedy, I saw every episode of eight of them ("30 Rock", "Entourage", "The Office", "Boston Legal", "Damages", "Dexter", "Lost", "House", and "Mad Men.")
Overall, for once, I'm fairly pleased with the Emmy line-up. The only changes I would make in the top-line categories are that I would dump Boston Legal from the Drama line-up for "The Wire." Though, frankly, I can understand the position - the fifth and final season of "The Wire" was a little bit flat but, frankly, I'd have voted to nominate it simply in honour of its place in television history - and all of the times that it's been previously robbed. "Breaking Bad" would, I think, have made it - or deserved to make it - if it had had a full season. Seven episodes is too few, especially given the relatively abrupt wrap-up, to snag a drama nomination.
On the Comedy side I'd have made more changes. I don't understand why anyone watches "Two and a Half Men." I'd take away its nomination and, if it had to go to a traditional sitcom, I'd give it to "How I Met Your Mother." I'd probably also, even though I am a regular viewer, strip "Entourage" (which had a bit of an off season last year, I think) of its nod and hand it over to "Californication."
I realize that some people will brush this aside and dismiss television as "all trash." But I strongly disagree - in my view, especially given the changes that the industry as a whole is undergoing (the growth of cable and other new content distribution channels) I believe that this is the golden age of gripping, writer-driven television. Indeed, frankly I think that television over the last few years is the most exciting thing to hit the world of entertainment since the stuff coming out of Hollywood in the 1970's.
Indeed, this is particularly significant in my own case since I would argue that television, rather than Jazz or Rock & Roll, is the single best and most significant American form of art.
Posted by Adam T. Yoshida on July 18, 2008 in Film | Permalink
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Comments
Television is being redefined.
Integration with the internet and on-demand user pay services provides the viewer with more control of not only the content but also advertising.
Conventional TV and its merit infrastructure, like Emmy Awards, is sliding towards irrelevancy.
I could give a damn about the Emmy Awards. I have never even heard of most of the nominated shows let alone seen them. But it gets worse, my younger associates have never even heard of the Emmy Awards.
Epsi
Posted by: Epsilon | 2008-07-18 9:21:14 AM
I agree. That's why this is something of a Golden Age - we still have the old talent and the old money (both of which there will be less of in the future), but the danger has freed them to be bolder than they ever were before.
Posted by: Adam Yoshida | 2008-07-18 11:15:27 PM
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